HomeMy WebLinkAboutMIN FEBRUARY 25 1997 M I N ACT T IE S p CITY OF B EAUMONT
Lulu L.smith DAVID W. MOORE, MAYOR Andrew P.Cokinos, Mayor Pro Tem
Guy N.Goodson CITY COUNCIL MEETING Becky Ames
John K. Davis FEBRUARY 25, 1997 Bobbie J. Patterson
Lane Nichols, City Attorney Ray A. Riley,City Manager Patrice Fogarty,City Clerk
The City Council of the City of Beaumont, Texas, met in a regular session on February 25, 1997,
at the City Hall Council Chambers, 801 Main Street, Beaumont, Texas, at 1:30 p.m. to consider the
following:
OPENING
*Invocation Pledge of Allegiance Roll Call
*Presentations and Recognition
*Approve minutes of the February 18, 1997, City Council meeting - Not considered, will be placed
on March 4, 1997, agenda
Mayor Moore called the meeting to order at 1:34 p.m. Father Jeremiah J. McGraph, Saint
Anthony's Cathedral, gave the invocation. Kyle Hayes, Assistant to the City Manager, led the
pledge of allegiance.
Present at the meeting were: Mayor Moore, Mayor Pro Tem Cokinos, Councilmembers Smith,
Goodson, Ames, Davis, and Patterson. Also, present were Ray A. Riley, City Manager; Lane
Nichols, City Attorney; Patrice Fogarty, City Clerk; and Barbara Liming, Deputy City Clerk.
Two proclamations were issued: "Purchasing Month," March, 1997; and African-American History
Month Celebration Day at West Brook High School," February 20, 1997.
COMMENTS
* Councilmembers comment on various matters
Councilmember Davis questioned when the Council will review the audit. Mr. Riley
said review of the audit will be placed on the next workshop agenda.
Mayor Moore reported his attendance at meetings that included time spent with the
Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. He reviewed federal grant monies,
shortfalls, and thanked Staff for assisting him with information for a presentation he
made. He said the information shared with other mayors was well received and that
Beaumont's program was exemplary. Mayor Moore said that education continues to
be in the forefront for every city in America and said that downtown revitalization and
leveraging CDBG funds should be issues of concern.
* Public Comment (Persons are limited to 3 minutes) - No citizens wished to
comment.
There being no further business, the meeting recessed at 1:50 p.m. to reconvene in workshop
session in the third floor conference room to consider other business that will include:
OTHER BUSINESS
• Review plans for proposed Municipal Court at the White House Building -
Attachment No. 1
• Discuss criteria for Reinvestment Zones - Attachment No. 2
The workshop session recessed at 2:40 p.m. to reconvene in executive session.
EXECUTIVE SESSION
* Executive Session in accordance with Section 551.071 of the
Government Code to discuss contemplated or pending litigation:
Claim of Marissa Faytaren
Municipal Administrative Services v. City of Beaumont
C:L'-'Q
Mayor David W. Moore
VI aft ';W, —%
Patrice Fogarty, C& Clerk
Minutes;2/25/97;Page 2
INTER-OFFICE MEMORANDUM
City of Beaumont,Texas
Date: February 21, 1997
To: Ray Riley, City Manager
From: Kirby Richard, Central Services Director
Subject: White House Building Renovations
COMMENTS
In May 1996, City Council approved the acquisition of the White House building located at 720
Orleans Street at a cost of$126,000. The building was constructed in the early 1940's and contains
approximately 68,000 square feet on three floors and a mezzanine. The vacant building provides an
exceptional opportunity to not only redevelop the downtown area but to also allow for the expansion
of municipal facilities. To take advantage of this opportunity, it is proposed that the City renovate
the building's first floor for use as a new _
Municipal Court.
Currently, the Municipal Court is located `4 -
within the Police/Municipal Court building at
255 College Street. The area allocated to the
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court operation encompasses 6,800 square feet
of floors ace. This includes areas for the t�r
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courtroom, judges and prosecutor, staff
offices, an employee loun a with restrooms> '°
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corridors and equipment room.
The Municipal Court's staff has less than
2,000 square feet of office, storage and _ — - -
counter space for the sixteen support
employees and their related office equipment. When the building was originally constructed in
September 1975, the Municipal Court employed a staff of only nine (9) persons. The staff area
ATTACHMENT NO. 1
White House Building Renovations
February 21, 1997
Page 2
required to manage today's work load far exceeds that available at the present location.
During court sessions, the 1,580 square foot courtroom seats one hundred (100) people and often
is inadequate. Overflow defendants and their families are required to wait in the lobby or outside in
the elements and are often overlooked. It is estimated that approximately 53,000 municipal cases will
be presented to the judges during FY 1997.
Current court facilities also provide limited accommodations for essential support functions, such as
judges and prosecutor office space. These areas are extremely small and crowded. Also, the facility
does not provide a public restroom for use by court patrons.
We have reviewed this proposal with court personnel and judges and believe the plan presented here
will solve a pressing city need.
Presented in Exhibit A is a conceptual layout of the Municipal Court in the White House Building.
As proposed, approximately 17,300 square feet of floor space will be renovated to accommodate the
court operations. Interior areas include the following:
► Two Courtrooms- The main courtroom is approximately 1,800 square feet
with a seating capacity of 120 persons. This room will accommodate the daily
activities of the court. To provide additional court and meeting area, a second
multipurpose room is proposed. The multipurpose room will not be furnished
in the traditional courtroom setting. It will be finished as a large meeting
room capable of functioning as a second courtroom. If required, this area
may be equipped with a permanent courtroom configuration at a later date.
► Court Clerk Office Area- The proposed concept provides more than 3,000
square feet of office space, work and file storage areas for the court
employees. Extra consideration has been extended to the cashier and public
areas to provide additional privacy and comfort to those conducting business
with Municipal Court staff.
► Prosecutor/Judges Offices - Offices for two attorneys and two judges are
provided. Approximately 1,200 square feet are allocated for this use.
► Police Holding Area -Police officers are provided office space while waiting
to attend trials or hearings. There is an adjacent holding room for defendants
under the supervision of an officer.
White House Building Renovations
February 21, 1997
Page 3
► . taffLounee- The proposed staff lounge would be equipped with a kitchen
and seating area for employee use only.
► Restrooms - Public restrooms are provided near the Orleans Street (main)
entrance in the court lobby. Also proposed are staff restroom facilities located
near the employee lounge.
► Lobby, storage and equipment areas will make up the remainder of the first floor.
According to architectural estimates,the proposed facility's construction cost is $750,000. This cost
includes minimal improvements to the facade on the first level and relocation of the Forsythe Street
entrance. If the proposed concept is approved, renovations could begin by August 1997.
Some improvements to the building have already begun. The first phase of the building's asbestos
removal has been completed at a cost of$75,846. Solicitation for phase two bids (estimated at
$30,000)will be published March 3. Also, in-house staff from the Building Services Division has
begun replacement of the build's roof system.
No action is proposed at this time on the buildings-second and third levels. This space is available
for future office space and storage of city records.
Attachment
EXHIBIT A
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ARCHITECTS AND PLwNN ERS < IlE,)rrr�
Reinvestmc .t Zones
Why have one?
To offer local incentives for economic development within the city limits
or ETJ.
What are the criteria for a Reinvestment Zone?
The area must...
• substantially arrest or impair the sound growth of the city, retard the
provision of housing, or constitute an economic or social liability
• be predominantly open and substantially impair or arrest the sound
growth
• be in a federally assisted new community located in a home-rule city or in
an area immediately adjacent to a federally assisted community located in
a home-rule city
• be located entirely in an area that meets the requirements for federal
assistance under Section 119 of the Housing and Community Development
Act of 1974
• encompass signs, billboards, or other outdoor advertising structures
designated by the city for relocation, reconstruction, or removal for the
purpose of enhancing the physical environment of the municipality,
which the legislature declares to be a public purpose; or
• be reasonably likely as a result of designation to contribute to the retention
or expansion of primary employment or to attract major investment in the
zone that would be a benefit to the property and that would contribute to
the economic development of the city.
How is our present abatement policy applicable?
The policy reflects the incentives that the City would offer...property tax
abatement.
• The length and amount of abatement is dependent on the size of the
project or the number of jobs created.
• This does not limit the discretion of the City to decide whether to enter
into a specific tax abatement agreement.
• Abatement guidelines and criteria may be amended or repealed only by a
vote of three-fourths of the members of the governing body.
The abatement for city taxes would have to be the same as any other taxing
jurisdiction that would offer tax abatement as part of the reinvestment zone.
ATTACHMENT NO_ 2
Reinvestme t Zones
How are Reinvestment Zones created?
• Provide public notice
• Hold public hearing
• Pass City ordinance
• Register with the Texas Department of Commerce
• Designation expires five years after date of designation and maybe
renewed for periods not to exceed five years.
What is the purpose of the Public Hearing?
The City must make several findings...
• that the improvements sought are feasible and would be of benefit to the
zone after the expiration of the agreement.
• that the zone meets one of the applicable criteria for reinvestment zones.
These findings should be approved by the governing body at an open
meeting and noted in the minutes.
Does the size of a zone make a difference?
By limiting the zone to the involved property, the taxing unit is not
obligated to use the same terms or percentage of tax abatement for other
properties that are located outside of the zone.
If the zone includes several properties, each property owner has the right
to ask for the same terms in any tax abatement agreement that is executed.
While abatement is not guaranteed, if granted it must be on the same terms
(number of years and percentage of abatement) as the other agreements within
that zone.
A larger reinvestment zone is often adopted by a taxing unit that wants to
target a particular area of the city for development.
Who last used?
9/27/91 Helena Labs